July 2026
Issue 1
Letter from the President
Dear ACTS members,
First, as the July 13 deadline to comment on the proposed oversight of federal scientific programs by the Office of Management and Budget approaches, I want to send a last reminder. It’s critical that we utilize every avenue to share comments, as this proposal includes sweeping changes. If you haven’t already done so, please submit comments to OMB directly by this July 13 and spread the word with your family and friends - because changes to science will impact medical advances that can save lives.
Rationale is that CCTS already circulated comments to the CCTS EC for review and edits. And planning to share to the group at large Friday based on the submitted comments.
On a happier note, you may recall that we started a new Fellow of ACTS, or FACTS, program last year to recognize highly accomplished members of our community. Nominations for FACTS will open again this fall, which means it’s a good time to begin planning. Below are highlights of a few of the 36 Fellows inducted in 2026.
Dr. Margarita L. Dubocovich’s landmark work revealed melatonin’s functional role in regulating dopamine release in retina and has authored over 200 peer review publications. Her visionary leadership in workforce development, mentoring and training of KL2 Scholars, has had significant impact on the ACTS community.
As a pulmonary and critical care phsycian, Dr. David Ingbar's research is focused on accelerating the lung recovery from injury, with 4 issued and 18 pending UMN patents--he also worked as project lead at the UMN ARDS Specialized Center of Research. He has been a leading organizer for Mock Study and as Core Co-Director, ensuring that UMN K and T32 Scholars prioritize and present at Translational Science.
Meredith Barr Fitz-Gerald's vital operational and educational work has shaped the infrastructure of multiple institutions across the University of Alabama-Birmingham (UAB) Hub, and her work has been recognized with the UAB Deans' Excellence Award. Her contriubtions to ACTS include serving on multiple SIGS, numerous presentations at Translational Science and publishing within the Journal of Clinical and Translational Science.
Dr. Frederick J. Meyers is a founding member of the UC Davis CTSA, an innovator who linked palliative care into Phase 1 trial designs and innovations in palliative care, and is PI of numerous innovative training programs. He has helped shape ACTS relationship with IDeA awardees and help set its strategic direction as President of its Board of Directors.
The 2027 class of Fellows will be inducted at a private dinner during the April Translational Science meeting.
In translational community,
Felicity T. Enders, PhD, MPH
ACTS President
ACTS Updates
JCTS Receives Increased Impact Factor Score
The Journal of Clinical and Translational Science (JCTS), the official journal of the Association for Clinical and Translational Science (ACTS) and the Clinical Research Forum, saw another year of record breaking growth. Along with another year of record submissions received and articles published, JCTS was awarded an impact factor score of 2.7 for 2025, up from their score of 2.0 in 2024. This score reflects the journal's ever increasing presence in the space of clinical research, achieved through the help of passionate authors and an Editorial Board committed to growth and innovation.
It's never too late to get involved with one of the fastest growing journals in science. Learn how you can submit your research for publication, and go online to stay up to date with all the latest research!
NIH Seeking Input on Effective Approaches for Measuring and Rewarding Scientific Impact
NIH is seeking feedback from stakeholders to assist in defining specific, measurable indicators and incentives that reflect the collaborative, rigorous, and mission-driven nature of modern biomedical science.
NIH is particularly interested in comments that include specific examples of measurable indicators, implementation approaches, potential benefits or unintended consequences, and considerations for feasibility across career stages, disciplines, and institution types.
Comments must be received no later than August 19, 2026, and must be submitted through the online comment portal found here.
Questions about any of the above information may be sent to SciencePolicy@od.nih.gov
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Partner News
News from the Hill
June saw the House Appropriations Committee completing its work on the chamber’s twelve annual appropriations bills. The Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies funding measure was the only bill that the House advanced bipartisanly this cycle. All other measures, including Labor-HHS-Education and the Defense Department were reported out on party-line votes (making their prospects for passage on the House floor uncertain). The House Republican leaders have stated that their bills are intended to set a “floor” for funding and included cuts for a public health programs and non-defense spending overall. The exception is medical research with the House adopting an amendment to the VA bill to increase research program funding by $49 million, increasing NIH by $100 million, and even providing increases to DOD research.
"News from the Hill" briefings are generously provided by our advocacy partners from the Health and Medicine Counsel
Stories from our Members
Researchers chart a genetic path to diagnosing pulmonary fibrosis and predicting outcomes
Researchers have validated a genetic scoring tool that may help physicians diagnose idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and identify which patients are at greatest risk for severe outcomes, including death or the need for a lung transplant. The findings come from a new international study of more than 570,000 people co-led by Mayo Clinic and Brigham and Women's Hospital.
Published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, the study is one of the largest real-world evaluations of a polygenic risk score for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. The findings bring this genomic approach one step closer to clinical care.
New study shows metformin given during acute COVID-19 infection reduced risk of clinician-diagnosed long COVID by 50%
New findings from the ACTIV-6 randomized clinical trial provide important confirmation of prior clinical trial results that metformin, a widely available and inexpensive medication with an established safety record, reduced the risk of clinician-diagnosed long COVID when started during acute COVID-19 infection.
The study, published in Clinical Infectious Diseases and co-led by a University of Minnesota Medical School research team, evaluated nearly 3,000 outpatient adults with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 across 90 sites in the United States. Participants were randomized to receive either metformin or placebo within seven days of symptom onset and were followed for six months.
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Engage with ACTS
Special Interest Groups
ACTS offers its members the opportunity to participate in Special Interest Groups (SIGs) related to the field of clinical research and translational science. SIGs connect individuals who share similar goals and interests, providing a channel to network and participate in knowledge and resource sharing among peers.
Career Center
We're excited to announce a quality of use upgrade for the ACTS Career Center! We have added a dual single sign on option for our Career Center. Your current membership login credentials now allow you to log directly into our Career Center. Try it out here.
Don't forget ACTS members get a 50% discount on job postings - just use code ACTSMEMBER to save!